Madalyn and Santa

Well, she was excited the entire time we were in line (and I do mean ENTIRE time... it was a 25 minute wait!) but when we finally got to see Santa, she was less than thrilled. I do think that she told him she wants an Elmo Live!





And just in case your forgot what "Chunk" looked like a year ago... here she is last Christmas. (And yes, it IS a different Santa!)




On that note, we finished up all of our Christmas shopping today... and on to the wrapping.

And in case you haven't finished your shopping and might be in the market for books, Waldenbooks is having a great sale and is also taking donations for a local charity. Gainesville's Borders and Waldenbooks are supporting Lyrics for Love, a great organization founded by Sister Hazel (my all time favorite band!) Madalyn was able to donate a Wall-E Golden Book to a local child with cancer.

December Update

As an early Christmas present to me (well, really to keep Uncle Sam from getting as much tax money LOL) I recently picked up an awesome new lens to go with my awesome new camera! That's right... I have done well enough in 6 months with my business to be able to afford both a new camera (the 40D by Canon) and this new lens, which is an 85 mm 1.8 for all you camera people out there. The camera got here a week ago and I used it at the wedding I shot last weekend (check it out on my photo blog) The new lens came yesterday... and Madalyn wasnt loving me for wanting me to shoot her, so I practiced on the tree (finally! A willing subject in this house!) I am only wishing that I had this to do the tree pictures, but no such luck. Maybe next year....

Maddie is super excited about Santa... she sees him everywhere and points him out and says "ho ho" (hasnt added the third "ho" yet. For Christmas this year she wants Elmo Live (hint hint Santa Claus) and lots of books.

Only two more work days for me and then we are off to Cape Coral for Christmas at my parents...

By The Light Of The Tree...

Remember That Exciting News?

Remember that exciting news I mentioned back in early November? (Or maybe it was October, I honestly can't remember that far back!) Well... here is the BIG NEWS!

I WAS ASKED BY THE LOCAL NEWSPAPER TO BE A PRIZE FOR THEIR DECMEMBER CONTEST!!!

This is such a big opportunity for JLS Photography. Number one, it is an endorsement from the local paper which is HUGE when you are a small business trying to get off the ground.

For the next ten days or so whenever you log into the Gainesville Sun or Gainesville Moms you will see this month's contest: Win A Family Photoshoot! Myself and another Mom are both giving away a free session and various prints to the winners. There is a drawing December 13th to determine a winner.

I am so excited! If you want to register for a free shoot, head on over to Gainesvile Moms Contest to check it out.
All you have to do to enter is be a Gainesville Moms member, which is a benefit in and of itself. This site is GREAT for local parents to keep up with what is going on in the community and meet other parents.

Needless to say I am honored and excited to be a part of this contest.

I also got asked to join the local Chamber of Commerce. I meet with a woman next week sometime to discuss this.

I feel like my business has really taken off... thanks to all of you for your love and support!

Christmas Photos

On Black Friday Shawn, Madalyn and I met up with Jenna, Brad, Savannah and Landon in downtown Ocala for a Christmas photoshoot. I had bought the kids the matching outfits a few weeks earlier and was so excited to see them all dressed up.

Here is one of Madalyn, and check out the rest at JLS Photography's Blog.

Thanks for looking and leave me some comments!

Little Red Jacket

Day 52: Gobble, Gobble

Okay so I know I am really behind in posting. Madalyn has been sick, and I have been super busy editing photos and getting orders sent out for the holidays- business has been booming!

Just to tide you over until I get a chance... here is Madalyn in her turkey day shirt...

Day 45: 19 Month Pictures

Today Madalyn and I played with my camera in the back room for a little while while she tried out a new headband. Her new headband matches her new RUBY RED SLIPPERS! Yes, you read right. Every little girl should have a pair. They are absolutely darling, and Madalyn pranced around in them all afternoon (in her grey sweatpants of course!)

We had lots of fun shopping this morning at the mall and picking out outfits for Christmas photos with Savannah and Landon. Maddie was very well behaved for about an hour, then she let me and everyone else know that she was ready to be out walking around!

Shopping must have worn her out though, because tonight when I put her in her high chair for dinner she actually fell asleep in her food!

Day 44: What Did Mommy Say?

Madalyn was "helping" me load the dishwasher the other day. And by "helping" I mean she was throwing her own toys in there while I was putting in the dishes. I kept taking them out and telling her "no." And finally, I had enough of saying "no" when she kept doing it, so I said "Madalyn, what did Mommy just say?" and she looked at me and smiled and said "no!" (Then of course proceeded to put more toys in the dishwasher.)

Day 43: (Yes, I skipped a WEEK!)

I admit it. I am a slacker. So much for 365 days of blogging! I skipped an entire week. You want to know the worst part of it? I was off. No work for me. I had an entire week, from last Monday at 8 am until today at 8 am (actually thats more than a week!) that I was off of work and I didnt blog but one time, and that was to post the Halloween pictures! I should be hit with a switch! Well, please dont do that because it would probably REALLY hurt.

I enjoyed the week with Madalyn... mostly we cleaned. A lot. And I did some work for the business and this weekend was packed with 8 photo shoots between Saturday and Sunday which I now need to get edited ASAP. So it was a busy week actually, and trying to get much done with an eighteen- EXCUSE ME now NINETEEN! month old leaves a lot to be desired!

We DID buy Madalyn a potty. (Oh yeah I almost forgot the shopping! When you have two incomes in your house you can actually go shopping once and awhile even if it is only to Walmart!) It is a spectacular potty- actually Gigi bought it for her.... and although we arent going to officially start potty training yet, we wanted to get the idea in her head.

Once the potty was out of the box and snapped together (yes, I did it myself!) I put it in the living room so she could see what it was without pushing the whole bathroom issue. Within 10, maybe 15 minutes Madalyn was sitting happily on the potty with her shirt pulled up to her chin with a look of concentration on her face... a look on only gets when they are..... YES! She actually went #2 on the potty! It was in her diaper, but still she knew what to do on it! It was the funniest thing... she just sat down and went and looked at us like "Yeah I was waiting for you guys to get me one of those things. Took you long enough. Jeez."

So the potty now is in the bathroom, and she hasnt actually used it officially yet, but we will start one day soon. She does however use it as a place to sit when we are in there, even if we are brushing our teeth!

Day 36: Halloween (A Bit Late!)

Only 5 days late! Here is the little Tinkerbell. Madalyn thinks everyday is Halloween, because the kid LOVES to dress up! She constantly is pulling clothes out of her drawers and pulling them on over what she is wearing. If she spots her tutu hidden in the closet in the office (and yes I did say HIDDEN! Its for this reason exactly!) she will CRY until we put it on. No joke here. She loves to wear it around the house. And she has not one, but 2 pairs of fairy wings that I did use as props for photoshoots that she has adopted. And we wont even get into the shoe thing here!
(Girl loves to play dressup!)

I digress. Madalyn dresses up every day pretty much, so Halloween was no diffferent. She LOVED her costume, so much that she wanted to wear it in the sandbox. We didnt end up going Trick Or Treating... we made it to the neighbors next door and that was about it... she didnt really "get" it and was more interested in pulling candy out of our pumpkin than anything else. So we snapped a few quick pictures and let her play in the sandbox. How festive, huh? Maybe next year....

She can, however, SAY Tinkerbell and Cinderella and loves them both. She has Tinkerbell and her room and the way she says her name is "blah blah blah BLAH blah Bell" and Cinderella is "Blah Blah Ella". Seriously here. Just a jumble of syllables and then "Bell" or "Ella". Its hysterical. Reminds me of how Savannah used to try to pronounce "Madalyn!"

Day 35: You Made A Match!

Miss Madalyn had a toy that is an animal toy that is magnets for the fridge that you put the front and back halves of animals together and when they are matched together the thing sings "you made a match!" and then sings a song. This morning when I was doing work around the house I kept hearing the song, and didnt even realize what was happening until it hit me that Madalyn was matching the animlas up! What a big girl!

Day 34: Entire Post Erased

I just spent 20 minutes writing today's post, and it got erased when it went to post. I am very frustrated... so I am headed off to bed. Maybe another day I will write that story....

Day 33: For Those of You....

For those of you who dont make it over to my photo blog here is what you are missing! Isnt she darling? I went to Jax last week to take her "newborn" photos (she is actually 10 weeks now). I had a lot of fun... it was a great little mommy get away for a few hours, and I had a lot of fun with this little darling's parents.

In other news.... GO GATORS! What a butt kicking! Woooo hoooo! We are watching the Texas/ Texas Tech game right now (when I say we I mean myself and Madalyn, who needs to be in bed, and Shawn who has fallen asleep on the couch.)

I have spent the majority of the afternoon designing a NEW and IMPROVED ordering site for my business... I am super excited about it, and if it proves effective it should cut down on my time by a great amount. YAY!

And I am still waiting to hear 100% on the exciting news... so stay tuned... but I will make an announcement soon.

And leave me some comments, okay? I know you are reading.... :)

Day 32: Happy Halloween!

Short and sweet because I am off to bed. The extent of Madalyn's Trick or Treating tonight was in our home and next door... but she DID have fun in her costume handing out candy. I dont think she "got" it this year. What she DID get is that by saying "Trick or Treat" she would be handed a piece of candy.... and she LOVED that! She was Tinkerbell, and hopefully by tomorrow I will be able to upload a few photos from this evening. She really liked her costume, especially the fairy wings!3

Day 31: God Knew What He Was Doing

God knew what He was doing when He gave me a daughter. For moments like these.

Madalyn is coming to help me on a photoshoot this evening before I go in to work. So we took a shower and got dressedm and I brushed her hair. She wanted to brush mine. So I told her when I finished with hers she could do mine. She climbed on the couch next to me, and started combing through my hair. Then she turned my head towards hers, and kissed me right on the lips.

I love her.

Day 30: Getting Caught Up

I am exhausted but I am up trying to get some business related work done... I *may* have a big announcment on here related to a huge opportunity for my photography, but I am not going to say anything until I know more details.

And BTW when I say I have exciting news it doenst necessarily mean I am pregnant! (Ahem Jenna!) For the record I am not pregnant, and not planning to be pregnant any time soon!

Its been COLD outside today.... BRRRRRR!!! Our new insulation in the attic has helped tremendously... so far have only had to put on our little space heater. But we have had 2 consecutive nights in the 30s.... whew! Might have to rethink the Tinkerbell costume! :)

I am going to wrap this up.... I am extremely tired and got home not too long ago from Jacksonville... I drove there for a photoshoot today.

Day 26,27,28,29 Where Did the Time Go?

I feel like I have LIVED on an ambulance the last few days. Friday I had the busiest shift EVER.... as in 25 calls in 24 hours. It was CRAZY! Whew... then after about 40 minutes of sleep I packed everything up and headed to another station to finish my 48 hour shift. Why do trades always seem like a good idea at the time I do them, and are so bad when it comes time to actually work them? I guess a long time ago back in August I enjoyed a day off I had to pay back this crazy weekend. And by crazy I mean INSANE! I ran almost 40 calls in 2 days! Then came home yesterday, crashed until almost noon, ran some errands, came home and was totally worthless. I didnt want to do anything!! And all Madalyn wanted to do was play with me, and I felt so bad because I was WAY too tired to do that!

Friday morning she broke my heart when I took her to Nana Swanson's to drop her off.... she cried! When I handed her over she reached back out to me and said "mammmmaaaaa" and cried! I about broke down myself.... and I had to leave her like that! My own mom said she was just trying to make me feel guilty (mission accomplished! it worked!)

So today I was prepared for the worst... and when Nana opened the door she yelled "Nana!!" and was all excited. So that made me feel better....

And today I am back at work, and realized quickly why I need 2 days off in between shifts.... my patience is nill when I am tired.

I should be sleeping.. usually I wait until 2 am for sleep (when the bars close.) I hate getting up and down...

It's COLD here BTW..... I can see my breath! I was actually shivering on our last call! Maybe its winter?! All I know is that Madalyn might have to rethink her costume for Friday if this weather keeps up! ;)

Day 25:Gloomy Day

Why is it that gloomy, overcast days make you want to stay in your pyjamas all day and do absolutely nothing? Thats what I did today. Well, the pyjamas anyway. I couldn't possibly do nothing... I got all of my paperwork up to date for the business which took some time. And then I edited photos (still working on the ones from this past weekend!) I have to work a 48 hour shift tomorrow and Friday. Is it wrong that I am praying the rain sticks around so there wont be as many drunk partiers for Homecoming? (Yes I love the Gators, but I do not so much love those who have to get drunk and obnoxious to celebrate loving the Gators.)

Madalyn was happy to hang out in her PJs today as well... we had a pyjama party. As I type this she is attempting to take off her diaper with her shorts still on. This is getting to be a problem. She is SO ready to start potty training... she hates her diapers.

The little bugger napped until almost 7 this evening! So Im sure she wont be ready for bed when I am ready for bed in half an hour!

Day 22, 23, 24: I Am A Slacker

I admit it, I have been so busy juggling everything else that I have been slacking about posting in my personal blog! It never ceases to amaze me that I can be so constantly busy that I feel like I never get anything accomplished!

This morning I had some of my coworkers over for coffee and a constructive meeting to see how to address some of the major issues at work. If nothing else it served as a forum for me to see that I am not the only one having major issues with some of the things happening at work and the way we are treated by our administration. I have spoken with my supervisor who did my evaluation and he admits that my evaluation was a bit harsh (to say the least) and he was under the impression that my firefighter had been my subordinate for a year (which I had him for 12 weeks before the evaluations were due and thus should not have been judged on his performance entirely) We will be having a meeting next week to discuss some changes to my evaluation.

Madalyn is growing bigger every day... and even more vocal! She talks constantly and is never afraid to share what is on her mind! She has become very attached to me since Shawn went back to work and is now my little shadow every day, and she is always anxious to "help" around the house. I should take a picture now to show her when she is older how badly she wanted to be able to load the dishwasher and sweep the floor!

Shawn is linking work and comes home very tired and leaves much earlier than any human should have to be awake! But the extra income is a HUGE relief and it was nice to be able to go to the grocery store and buy enough food for a week instead of doing it day by day.

We are starting back on Dave Ramsey's money management plan on November 1st. The plan is amazing and works really well when you have things to pay off, and just shows you on paper where your money is going. We would like to be debt free sometime in the next year or so (except for our mortgage and the car payments.) So we will be sticking every penny into savings that we can.

My business is really taking off which is great, and I have lots of shoots booked! I went to Orlando last weekend for some shoots and am working on editing those right now. Check out my new blog jlsphotoblog.com for some photos, and please leave comments! I will be posting several old sessions in the next few days as I got behind waiting to get the new blog up and running!

Day 20 and 21: What a Weekend~

Its been a whirlwind! We left last night for a trip to Orlando. We of course stayed up too late visiting with Jeff and Casey, and 7 am came way too early for me! I had shoots starting at 8 in Orlando, and that lasted until 12 when I left one site and went to another, finishing up around 4:30. Oh, and had to stop at IKEA (an experience in and of itself to say the least!) So it has been long and crazy... busy busy busy and now I have 5 shoots to edit this week! But it was great fun to see Jeff and Casey, and Helene and Jim as well as visit with one of my favorite families from shoots in July!

But for now, off to bed....

Days 18 and 19

Im going to have to combine these two days. Instead of posting yesterday, I made a new and improved blog for JLS Photography! The new site is www.jlsphotoblog.com. It is still a work in progress, but please update your links to the new site. I will be posting quite a few sneak peeks on there in the days to come, so stay tuned! And please leave me a comment... I love reading them, and it means so much to me!

In other news, Shawn has survived 2 weeks at his new job! YAY! He really likes it, and it seems that there is a lot of room for advancement there, which is nice. And let me tell you how wonderful it was to get paid today knowing there was another check coming in next week.... SIGH OF RELIEF! We went to Sams tonight and bought all of the things we used to be able to stock up on but have been living without, or buying when needed. It was so wonderful.

We spent the evening hanging out with our neighbors which was nice.... and Madalyn and I had lots of fun today! We spent the early morning taking pictures of my friend Lorrie's expanding belly... she is due November 5th with baby #2. (Its a surprise for Daddy... Mommy already knows.) Her daughter Kaela is turning 2 in December, so Madalyn had a wonderful time playing with her! Then we went with Lorrie and Kaela to the park, where we met up with Julie, Ben and Rosemary to play fow awhile. The girls all had fun, and Ben fell asleep in his Baby Bjorn while the Mommies talked. Then Madalyn and I went to Weecycle to sell some of her clothes, then home to clean up the messy house. We had lots of fun.... its fun to spend days like that with my daughter.

Whew what a Friday!

Day 17: Pumpkin Patch

As promised, some pictures from the pumpkin patch. This was such a lot of fun... and truly a great family evening out. Madalyn was extremely excited to see the rows and rows of pumpkins and loved running around and crawling all over them. And it was fun to have a great backdrop for a photoshoot of my own child for a change!

Day 16: Wooo Hooo 2000 hits!

Today I logged in to write for the evening and noticed I had 2000 hits! Yay! I only put the hit counter up less than 5 months ago... so thats pretty impressive.

Today we went to the pumpkin patch (see day 15 for some photos!) I got tons of Madalyn pictures, thanks to Nana and Papa and Daddy helping out. She had a lot of fun and even went into the bounce house with Papa. I dont think she knew what to make of it at first, but she seemed to have fun jumping up and down.

This weekend Maddie and I are taking a girls only trip to Orlando to see Uncle Jeff, Aunt Casey, Josh and soon to be newest Swanson, as well as Helene, Jim and Alana. I have several photoshoots booked which is awesome, and I think Friday night we are going to take Maddie and Josh to a fall festival. Saturday Nana and Papa are coming down to play as well. Shawn, bless his heart, is going to stay here and work on Saturday then Sunday will be painting a deck for some extra cash. He is such a hard worker!

I will be posting many more photos from the pumpkin patch as I go through them... stay tuned!
And keep reading... I'd love 2500 hits by Christmas!